Ceiling structure ii

ABSTRACT

A ceiling construction with air-cooled lighting fixtures and arranged for air supply and/or removal to/from the underlying room according to the invention is comprising a plurality of parallel channel tubes 1 suspended in spaced relation below a ceiling slab 2. At least some of them serve as ventilation air channels and are connected to a collection or distribution system. The tubes have apertures 18 facing the spaces 17 between said channel tubes. The channel tubes are suspended in separate mountings 3 which are provided with upper support means 11 which support carrier plates 12 arranged between the tubes. Lighting fixtures 13 are fixed to the underside of the carrier plates. The mounting means have also lower support means 14 which, in the areas where the light fixtures are situated, support transparent or translucent optical under plates 15 and in the other areas support other under plates 16, such as acoustic under plates, cover plates or the like, located below the level of the mentioned apertures 18. The under plates are arranged or designed in such a way that air current connection (as at 21) is ensured between the room below and the spaces in which the lighting fixtures are situated. Preferably the tubes have circular cross section and are spiral-coiled made from a strip of sheet material. At least some of the support mountings comprise a twopart stirrup with a top piece 4 designed to be fastened to the underside of a ceiling, a beam or the like, and a bottom piece 6 which can be vertically adjusted in relation to the top piece. The lower part of said bottom piece is adapted to the external cross section shape of the channel tube and being connected at the top to the top piece.

finite States Patent Hover 1 Aug. 29, M72

[ CEILING STRUCTURE II [72] Inventorz [73] Assignee: A/S Norsk Viftefabrikk, Oslo, Norway [22] Filed: Feb. 11, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 114,649

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 9,922, Feb.

Borre Hover, Oslo, Norway 30 Foreign Application Priority Data March 4, 1970 Norway /59/70 52 us. or ..98/40 DL, 240/9 A, 52/303 51 rm. Cl. ..F24f 13/06, F21v 29/00 [58] Field of Search .98/40 D, 40 DL, 40 L; 240/9 A, 240/51.1l R; 52/303 Primary Examiner-William E. Wayner Att0rney1-Iowson & Howson 7] ABSTRACT A ceiling construction with air-cooled lighting fixtures and arranged for air supply and/or removal to/from the underlying room according to the invention is comprising a plurality of parallel channel tubes 1 suspended in spaced relation below a ceiling slab 2. At least some of them serve as ventilation air channels and are connected to a collection or distribution system. The tubes have apertures 18 facing the spaces 17 between said channel tubes. The channel tubes are suspended in separate mountings 3 which are provided with upper support means 11 which support carrier plates, 12 arranged between the tubes. Lighting fixtures 13 are fixed to the underside of the carrier plates. The mounting means have also lower support means 14 which, in the areas where the light fixtures are situated, support transparent or translucent optical under plates 15 and in the other areas support other under plates 16, such as acoustic under plates, cover plates or the like, located below the level of the mentioned apertures 18. The under plates are arranged or designed in such a way that air current connection (as at 21) is ensured between the room below and the spaces in which the lighting fixtures are situated. Preferably the tubes have circular cross section and are spiral-coiled made from a strip of sheet material. At least some of the support mountings comprise a two-part stirrup with a top piece 4 designed to be fastened to the underside of a ceiling, a beam or the like, and a bottom piece 6 which can be vertically adjusted in relau'on to the top piece. The lower part of said bottom piece is adapted to the external cross section shape of the channel tube and being connected at the top to the top piece.

13 Claims, 2 Drawing figures 74b L 21 6a 22 14 74b 15 CEILING STRUCTURE II This application is a continuation-in-part of the earlier application entitled Ceiling structure, Ser. No. 9,922 filed Feb. 9, I970.-

This invention relates to a ceiling structure with air ventilated lighting fixtures mounted therein in a system arranged for supply and/or removal of air to/from the room situated beneath.

Various hung-ceiling structures are known, comprising a plurality of hollow sections mounted in spaced relation on the under-surface of the ceiling slab and serving as mounting means for plate-shaped panels. In some known arrangements hollow sections are connected with a common collecting and distribution system to be employed in supplying and or removal of conditioned/exhaust air to/from the underlying room.

In some other known arrangements channel sections have been suggested shaped with mounting means for supporting plates, for example, for electrical lighting fixtures. Conduits, wires, cables and the like have been arranged in the interior of such channel sections.

Lighting fixtures mounted in hung-ceiling structures develop a considerable amount of heat. It has been found that for example the optical efficiency of electric lighting tubes varies with the temperatureof the tube, the maximum light output being obtained in a relatively limited temperature range. In order to increase the optical efficiency, the heat developed must be removed. The removed heat can be utilized to heat directly the underlying room, but the amount of heat being circulated to heat the room can be controlled more effectively by conducting the exhaust air from the room through the lighting fixture and thence out of the room.

In ceiling structures, regard must also be paid to the acoustic conditions. This is effectively done by suitable selection and location of acoustic panels, insulating the channel sections, etc.

It may happen that lighting fixtures and also acoustic plates require to be repositioned and/or replaced when the activity performed in such a room has changed its character. If, for instance, the activity changes from an office activity to a workshop activity, the lighting fixtures and the acoustic panels will have to be re-arranged.

Previously known hung-ceiling structures have a considerable height dimension resulting in a reduction in the useful volume of the room beneath.

In view of what has been stated above, a purpose of the invention is to provide a so-called hung or dropped ceiling structure of the kind referred to, having a plurality of lighting fixtures arranged between the hollow sections, wherein effective cooling or ventilation of the lighting fixtures is insured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ceiling structure which allows for very simple mounting of the hollow sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hung-ceiling structure which allows for quick simple .and inexpensive mounting and dismounting of the lighting fixtures with their attachments, and of the acoustic elements without the need of special tools and without skilled labor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hung-ceiling having a substantially reduced depth relative to conventional structures of similar kind.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a construction-which to a great extent permits the use of constructional elements of standard design, e.g. pipes, which are inexpensive and easy to obtain.

These and other purposes will be apparent from the following description and the patent claims.

Thus, a hung-ceiling structure according to the invention may comprise a plurality of parallel tubes suspended in spaced relation under a ceiling slab, at least some of said tubes serving as suction or pressure air conduits, being connected with collection or distribution systems, and having apertures in their walls which face towards the spaces therebetween. The tubes are suspended by means of separate mounting means provided with upper support means which support carrier plates arranged between the sections, said plates carrying lighting fixtures mounted on their sides and with lower support means which, in the parts where lighting fixtures are located, support transparent or translucent optical under panels, and at other locations supporting other under panels, such as acoustic under panels, cover panels or the like, located below the level of the previously mentioned apertures. The under panels are arranged or shaped so that air flow connection is ensured between the underlying room and the spaces in which the lighting fixtures are located. The tubes have preferably circular cross section. Spirally folded tubes are particularly useful to this aim. The invention is further described by means of an example, under reference to the attached drawing, in which FIG. 1 represents an elevation view of part of a spiral folded duct tube with insulation, stirrup suspension, carrier plate for lighting fixture and lower support sections for the under panel, and

FIG. 2 shows a cross section along the line ll-Il in FIG. 1, except that the tube is a conventional metal sheet tube with smooth wall.

A hung-ceiling construction in accordance with the example comprises a plurality of parallel channel tubes 1 of circular cross section which are arranged in a spaced relationship to each other below the ceiling slab 2. Only one channel tube is shown in the drawing, but it isto be understood that the arrangement of channel sections may be, for example as shown in FIGS. 1 or 4 in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 9,922 filed Feb. 9, 1970.

The tubes are suspended in stirrup-shaped mountings 3 each comprising a top .piece 4 and a bottom piece 6. The top section 4 is shaped substantially like an U and is arranged to be fastened with its base 4a against the ceiling slab. In this embodiment the bottom piece 6 is substantially shaped as a semi-circular stirrup fitting the section of the tubing 1. The stirrup has two vertical legs 5 which have holes at their upper ends for screws 7 with nuts for fastening to the upper piece 4. Approximately at the transition from the semi-circular shaped part of the bottom section to the straight, vertical legs 5, tongues 8 are stamped out with their free ends pointing upwardly in such a way that there is a space between the tongue 8 and the leg 5.

As it appears from Fig. 2, the vertical flange of an L- profile section 11 is arranged between the legs 5 of the bottom piece 6 and the tongue 8, the horizontal flange 12 carrying on the under side thereof electrical lighting fixtures 13. At its crosswise ends a carrier plate 12 is reinforced by a flange 12a.

The connection between the top piece 4 and the bottom piece 6 is so arranged that the bottom piece 6 can be displaced vertically for correct adjustment of the distance between the channel tube 1 and the'ceiling surface. In this case the side legs 9 of the top piece 4 has a T-shaped slot 10, the leg of the T being horizontal adjacent the one side of the side of the side leg, in such a way that the slot is open towards this. When mounting the stirrups 3 and the channel tubes 1, the bottom pieces 6, which are previously fitted with screws 7, can be quickly hung up in the slots 10 in the top pieces 4, allowing final adjustment to be made later. I

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower part of the bottom piece has stamped symmetrically arranged tongues 6a which point toward one another and carry the upper flangesla of an I-profile section 14. The lower flanges 14b of the I-section profiles carry under plates and 16, respectively. In order to hold the under plates 15 and 16 in correct lateral position the flanges 14b are recessed as indicated in FIG. 2.

Instead of using separate L-profiles 1 1 it it possible to design the upper end sections of the bottom piece 6 with outwardly pointing flanges (not shown), which in certain cases can serve the same purpose as the horizontal flanges 11a of the L-profiles. The advantage of continuous L-profiles 1 1 is that one is not limited to a certain location of the carrier plates 12 in relation to the mountings 3.

The under plate 15 is an optically translucent or transparent plate of glass or plastic. The under plate 16 is in this case 'an acoustic plate or sound-absorbent material. The optical plates 15 are arranged between the channel tubes 1 beneath the lighting fixture plates 12. The under plates 15 are arranged in the lengthwise direction of the channel tubes with transverse spaces therebetween. At the locations where an optical plate 15 is adjacing an acoustic or other under plate 16, there is a corresponding transverse space 21 between these two plates. The purpose of these spaces 21 is to obtain an air current connection between the underlying room and the space 17. The space 17 is in air current connection with the interior 1 of the channel section, the section being provided with apertures 18 located in the lower portion of the height of the channel tube and thus below the lighting fixture carrier plates 12. The apertures 18 may be fitted with pipe unions 19. When the interior of the channel tube 1 is subjected to under pressure the air will flow from the underlying room through the transverse slots or spaces between the underplates and past the lighting fixtures 13 and thence through the apertures 18 to be conducted away through the channel tubes 1. In this way the lighting fixtures 13 are cooled. If it is desired to use the heat from the lighting fixtures to warm the room below, the air current can be reversed. The channel section 1 is fitted with a split sleeve 20 of insulating material. In FIG. 1 some part of the insulation is broken off to show the spirally coiled tube.

Various modifications of the described construction may occur. Instead of arranging the under plates with spaces it is, for example, possible to use under plates which are provided with transverse rows with slots or other openings 22 to obtain an air current connection between the space 17 and the room beneath the hungceiling.

When the under plates are arranged spaced, the location of the plates is preferably such that the apertures 18 in the channel sections are situated approximately at the middle of the length of the optical under plates. It will be understood that the channel tubes 1 can also be suspended by means of mountings shaped otherwise than the stirrups described in the example. What is important is that the mountings allow for an easy mounting of the channel tubes, provide upper and lower supports for the plates and that they permit adjustment of the height of the whole hung ceiling. When channel tubes with rectangular cross section are used in the hung ceiling then the under stirrup pieces are correspondingly substantially U-shaped as indicated by stretch-dotted lines 6 in FIG. 2.

The use of round pipes, especially spiral-coiled pipes,

they are easy to obtain because they are usually stock goods. Installation is very simple, because the lighting fixture plates 12 and the under plates 13, 16 can easily be installed after the channel tubes with their support organs 11, 14 have been installed. The use of channel tubes of circular cross section permits higher air speeds than in tubes of square section. Insulation work is very easy because there is a wide variety of insulating sleeves and half shells in standard production which fit various channel tube dimensions. The design of the bottom section 6 of the stirrup with tongues stamped out for the lower supports is very advantageous, since it permits quick installation of standardized lengths of support profiles. The construction is very well suited for use in a module system, which implies that all construction elements will be available in standardized lengths.

WhatI claim is:

1. A ceiling construction with lighting fixtures cooled by flowing air characterized by a celing slab, under plates forming a ceiling surface spaced below said slab, at least one tube having a circular cross section for room air suspended in the space between the ceiling slab and said ceiling surface, said conduit being adapted to be connected to a ventilation system for room air, and having at least one aperture communicating with said space, at least one mounting suspending said conduit including upper and lower support means, at least one support carrier plate carried on said upper support means above said aperture, at least one lighting fixture on the under side of said carrier plate, said lower support means carrying at least one of said under plates below said aperture, the under plate which underlies said fixture being optically transparent or translucent, and passage means providing air flow through said ceiling surface between the room below andthe space in which the lighting fixture is situated.

2. A ceiling construction according to claim 1 in which the tube is a spirally wound tube made from a strip of sheet material.

' 3. A ceiling ceiling construction according to claim 1 wherein said aperture is fitted with'unions projecting into the space between the lighting fixture carrier plate and the under plate.

ceiling slab and a-bottom piece which can be vertically adjusted in relation to the top piece, the lower part of said bottom piece conforming to the external cross section of the tube and having a connection in the upper part to the top piece.

7. A ceiling construction according to claim 6, in which the bottom part of the bottom piece has lower tongues offset from the body of the bottom piece whose free ends are directed towards the central axis of the stirrup and have a space therebetween.

' 8. A ceiling construction according to claim 7, including I-shaped profile sections suspended by their upper flanges from the lower tongues, the lower flanges of the sections serving as support means for the under plates.

9. A ceiling construction according to claim 6 in which the bottom piece has vertical side legs which are designed with outwardly offset upper tongues, pointing upwards, whose free ends are spaced from the said legs.

10. A ceiling construction according to claim 9 in which the upper support means includes L-shaped angle profiles whose vertical flanges are inserted between the vertical legs of the bottom pieces and the upper tongues.

11. A ceiling construction according to claim 6 in which'the upper support means comprise horizontal flanges which are bent out from the upper end sections of the-bottom pieces.

12. A'ceiling construction according to claim 6 in which the connection. between the top piece and the bottom piece includes a slot in the form of a lying T which is open towards one edge of the associated piece.

13. A ceiling construction according to claim 1 including insulating materials surrounding said tube.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 687 056 Dated August 29, 1972 Inventor(s) Borre Hover It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1 10. 3, "structure" should be --Structure--. Column 4 10. 43, "'celing" should be ---ceiling--.

10. 64, "ceiling ceiling" should be --ceiling--. Column 5 loo. 5, "claim 5 should be --claim 4".

Signed and sealed this 6th day of March 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR.

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PC1-1050 (10-69) USCOMM'DC 5O375-F'59 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969 0-366-334 

1. A ceiling construction with lighting fixtures cooled by flowing air characterized by a ceiling slab, under plates forming a ceiling surface spaced below said slab, at least one tube having a circular cross section for room air suspended in the space between the ceiling slab and said ceiling surface, said conduit being adapted to be connected to a ventilation system for room air, and having at least one aperture communicating with said space, at least one mounting suspending said conduit including upper and lower support means, at least one support carrier plate carried on said upper support means above said aperture, at least one lighting fixture on the under side of said carrier plate, said lower support means carrying at least one of said under plates below said aperture, the under plate which underlies said fixture being optically transparent or translucent, and passage means providing air flow through said ceiling surface between the room below and the space in which the lighting fixture is situated.
 2. A ceiling construction according to claim 1 in which the tube is a spirally wound tube made from a strip of sheet material.
 3. A ceiling construction according to claim 1 wherein said aperture is fitted with unions projecting into the space between the lighting fixture carrier plate and the under plate.
 4. A ceiling construction according to claim 1 wherein said passage means comprises transverse space between the optical under plate and an adjacent under plate.
 5. A ceiling construction according to claim 5, in which the adjacEnt under plates are also optical under plates.
 6. A ceiling construction according to claim 1 wherein said support mounting comprises a two-part stirrup with a top piece designed to be fastened to the ceiling slab and a bottom piece which can be vertically adjusted in relation to the top piece, the lower part of said bottom piece conforming to the external cross section of the tube and having a connection in the upper part to the top piece.
 7. A ceiling construction according to claim 6, in which the bottom part of the bottom piece has lower tongues offset from the body of the bottom piece whose free ends are directed towards the central axis of the stirrup and have a space therebetween.
 8. A ceiling construction according to claim 7, including I-shaped profile sections suspended by their upper flanges from the lower tongues, the lower flanges of the sections serving as support means for the under plates.
 9. A ceiling construction according to claim 6 in which the bottom piece has vertical side legs which are designed with outwardly offset upper tongues, pointing upwards, whose free ends are spaced from the said legs.
 10. A ceiling construction according to claim 9 in which the upper support means includes L-shaped angle profiles whose vertical flanges are inserted between the vertical legs of the bottom pieces and the upper tongues.
 11. A ceiling construction according to claim 6 in which the upper support means comprise horizontal flanges which are bent out from the upper end sections of the bottom pieces.
 12. A ceiling construction according to claim 6 in which the connection between the top piece and the bottom piece includes a slot in the form of a lying T which is open towards one edge of the associated piece.
 13. A ceiling construction according to claim 1 including insulating materials surrounding said tube. 